Factions of the Syndicate Wars

[Cptn Elias Moore 0]

Starfleet Intelligence Dossier OS-428

Confidential: Level 5 Clearance Required

 

 

Factions of the Syndicate Wars

 

The formation of the Coalition and its aggressive stance toward interstellar piracy have succeeded at destabilizing the Orion Syndicate. With the Coalition worlds united and sharing resources in their efforts to police trade routes, the Coalition territories are now virtually free of Orion influence. Not only has this bolstered the Coalition economy, it has stripped the Syndicate of one of its most reliable areas of operation.

 

With the Syndicate sphere of influence diminished and no longer capable of supporting the entire organization, its leaders have taken to infighting. They have splintered the organization into factions which all aim to eliminate their rivals and exert complete control over the remaining Syndicate territories. These factions have varying ideas as to how the Syndicate may turn its fortunes, but they are defined primarily by the identities of their leaders. The following are the three most prominent factions; their leaders were the highest-ranking Syndicate officials prior to the splinter.

 

The Six -- Among all their rivals, The Six are the most favorable to non-Orions. This has made them the perfect allies to Starfleet. 'Six' refers to the six leaders of the faction, all women. The relationship between them is vague; it is speculated in Syndicate circles that they are sisters. Our chief contact within the faction is one of their number. The irony of our alliance is certainly not lost on them. The Coalition is responsible for their hardships, and it is against those hardships that we make offers of support. They are remarkably business-minded, however, so our support is readily embraced. By fostering their dependence on us, we will have the loyalty of a talented band of mercenaries who can perform black operations for us when we require a higher level of discretion. The Six are based primarily in the Borderland; their dealings with the Klingons have been extensive, but they have no particular loyalty to the Empire. The weapons trade has always been their primary area of operation; steps have been taken to afford them leniency in smuggling their goods through Coalition space. They have always been mercenary, selling services such as assassination, robbery, kidnapping, and espionage to wealthy customers.

 

The Stregadoro -- The Stregadoro may be the most dangerous of the three factions, despite having the fewest members. They are a reclusive and mysterious band that wields science to achieve power. Their most deadly members are the Fists of Gold, Orion males that have been subjected to genetic tampering. They are said to be larger than the average males and nearly impervious to damage. Many are covered in body armor to which extensive arrays of equipment are attached. High-ranking Stregadoro employ the Fists as bodyguards and assassins. Their subtlety and efficiency would make them superb allies, but the higher echelons of their leadership have been difficult to contact--they do not associate freely with non-Orions. The identity of their leader is not known; he is infamous for speaking and acting through intermediaries. It is said that he is a man with strange and terrible capabilities, likely scientific in nature; he may, in fact, be a Fist of Gold. The potency of the narcotics produced by the Stregadoro are known throughout Syndicate space. Their few dealings with other species have involved the sale of scientific marvels, primarily bioweapons, but they rely mostly on their drug trade.

 

The Neo-Syndicate -- The faction claiming to be the new incarnation of the Syndicate appropriately conforms to the Orion reputation for thuggery. The typical Neo-Syndicate member is an unthinking brute and the faction has produced more violence and destruction than any of its rivals. Their leader, a male by the name of Gufaso, is said to be no different. He is infamous for both his lack of guile and his destructive temper, and it is commonly accepted that he arose to his position through coercion alone. Alternative ideas have been suggested, however. Some speculate that Gufaso's boisterous manner is merely a clever facade concealing his brilliant intellect (it may be Gufaso himself who spreads this rumor). Others speculate that he is merely a strawman for the true power behind the Neo-Syndicate (Gufaso has been known to react to this suggestion with violence). Whatever the case, the Neo-Syndicate boasts by far the largest membership of any of its rivals; this is owed mostly to their lower standards for recruitment. Their two areas of focus, slavery and piracy, are the two most adversely impacted by the Coalition clampdown. In time, they are likely to self-destruct, but as long as they command the sheer numbers that they do, they must be reckoned with.